La Crosse Regional Airport

La Crosse Regional Airport
Terminal building
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerCity of La Crosse
ServesLa Crosse, Wisconsin
OpenedMarch 1947 (1947-03)[1]
Time zoneCST (UTC−06:00)
 • Summer (DST)CDT (UTC−05:00)
Elevation AMSL655 ft / 200 m
Coordinates43°52′45″N 091°15′24″W / 43.87917°N 91.25667°W / 43.87917; -91.25667
Public transit access MTU:  7  (demand-response)
Websitewww.lseairport.com
Maps

FAA airport diagram
LSE
Location of airport in Wisconsin
LSE
LSE (the United States)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
18/36 8,742 2,665 Concrete
13/31 6,050 1,844 Asphalt
4/22 5,199 1,585 Asphalt
Statistics (12 months ending December 2025 except where noted)
Passenger volume83,810
Departing passengers41,910
Scheduled flights1,002
Cargo (lb.)4,373
Aircraft operations (2022)18,143
Based aircraft (2024)63
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[2]

La Crosse Regional Airport (IATA: LSE[3], ICAO: KLSE, FAA LID: LSE) is a public airport located 5 nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi) northwest of La Crosse, a city in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States.[2] Until August 2013, the airport was called La Crosse Municipal Airport.[4]

It occupies the northern area of French Island, next to the Mississippi River. La Crosse's airport is the closest scheduled airline airport to the U.S. Army Fort McCoy base near Sparta, Wisconsin.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2025–2029 categorized it as a non-hub primary commercial service facility.[5] It is the sixth busiest of eight commercial airports in Wisconsin in terms of passengers served.[6]

History

The La Crosse Airport can accommodate the largest aircraft. One of the largest passenger jets, the Boeing 747 Air Force One (AF1), has made overnight trips to this airport with every U.S. President for the last 20 years [when?].

In 1998 President Bill Clinton flew to La Crosse in AF1 Boeing 707 (VC-137C SAM 26000). This was the last time a US President flew on this plane, which was retired to the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. One of the world's largest cargo jets, a Russian Antonov An-124, has flown to La Crosse airport. The US military C-5A cargo and KC-10 Extender cargo/refueling jets have been at the annual summer Deke Slayton Airshow (area astronaut), Airfest at the airport, along with vintage and modern military and private planes. The show has also featured the US Navy Blue Angels and the US Air Force Thunderbirds.

In the past, Sun Country Airlines has flown DC-10 (380 passenger seats) on charter flights from La Crosse to other cities. The New Orleans Saints NFL football team flew the 180-seat Delta Air Lines Boeing 757 planes each week to La Crosse for summer camp, and to and from NFL cities for pre-season games.

The airport's control tower was one of 143 towers slated for closure by the FAA due to the 2013 federal sequester.[7][8] However, the closures did not occur after Congress restored funding to the FAA.[9]

Facilities

The airport covers 1,380 acres (558 ha) at an elevation of 655.4 feet (199.8 m). It has three runways: the primary runway 18/36 is 8,742 by 150 feet (2,665 m × 46 m) concrete; 13/31 is 6,050 by 150 feet (1,844 m × 46 m) asphalt; 4/22 is 5,199 by 150 feet (1,585 m × 46 m) asphalt.[2]

The original runway layout is still in use, with many improvements. The 8,742-foot paved runway is the fourth longest in Wisconsin, after runways at MKE, MSN, and VOK airfields.

The airport has a modern two-story passenger terminal with three gates. The following are provided:

  • Allegiant Air passenger counter
  • American Airlines passenger counter and kiosk
  • Ground Transportation
  • Arrowhead Taphouse and Gifts
  • Conference rooms

There are 11 corporate hangars and eight multi-aircraft T-hangars on the airport property. There is a cellphone-use free parking area for those awaiting passenger arrivals.

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2022, the airport had 18,143 aircraft operations, an average of 50 per day: 70% general aviation, 26% air taxi / airline and 4% military. In August 2024, there were 63 aircraft based at this airport: 49 single-engine, 5 multi-engine, 8 jet and 1 glider.[2]

La Crosse airport

Airlines and destinations

American Airlines, served by American Eagle, has three daily departures and arrivals with direct service to Chicago. Sun Country Airlines provides periodic Boeing 737 flights to cities such as Bullhead City, Arizona (next to Laughlin, Nevada). United Airlines, operated by United Express, will begin four daily direct service flights to and from Chicago beginning May 2026.[10]

Passenger

AirlinesDestinations
Allegiant Air Orlando–Sanford (begins May 21, 2026),[11] Phoenix–Mesa [11]
American Eagle Chicago–O'Hare
United Express Chicago–O'Hare (begins May 7, 2026)[12]

Cargo

AirlinesDestinations
UPS Airlines Minneapolis/St. Paul

Statistics

Number of daily flights

Airline Airport Daily flights
American Eagle Chicago–O'Hare 2 - 3 daily
United Express Chicago–O'Hare 4 daily (beginning May 2026)

Carrier shares

Carrier shares (January 2025 – December 2025)[6]
Carrier Passengers (arriving and departing)
Envoy
74,910(89.38%)
Air Wisconsin
8,740(10.43%)

Top destinations

Busiest domestic routes out of LSE
(January 2025 – December 2025)[6]
Rank City Passengers Carriers
1 Chicago, IL (O’Hare) 41,910 American

Annual traffic

PassengersYear60,00090,000120,000150,000180,000210,000240,000270,0001995200020052010201520202025PassengersAnnual passenger traffic

See also

References

  1. ^ "History". La Crosse Regional Airport. Archived from the original on March 1, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d FAA Airport Form 5010 for LSE PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. effective August 8, 2024.
  3. ^ "IATA Airport Code Search (LSE: La Crosse Municipal)". International Air Transport Association. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  4. ^ Chris Hubbuch; Allison Geyer (August 12, 2013). "Use it or lose it: La Crosse airport attempts to lure fare-conscious travelers with convenience". La Crosse Tribune. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  5. ^ "NPIAS Report 2025-2029 Appendix A" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. October 28, 2024. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "RITA BTS Transtats – LSE". www.transtats.bts.gov. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
  7. ^ "FAA Contract Tower Closure List". American Association of Airport Executives. March 22, 2013. Archived from the original on April 19, 2015.
  8. ^ "FAA: 149 control towers to close at small airports". USA Today. March 22, 2013.
  9. ^ Bloom, Betsy (May 11, 2013). "Airport tower to stay open". La Crosse Tribune. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  10. ^ Savage, Maurice (January 27, 2026). "La Crosse Regional Airport's new flight additions to Chicago could bring big changes in the future". WXOW. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  11. ^ a b "Allegiant Adds 30 New Nonstop Routes, Entering Four New Markets". FOX 40. November 18, 2025. Retrieved November 18, 2025.
  12. ^ Staff, Site (January 27, 2026). "La Crosse airport adds four daily nonstop United Airlines flights to Chicago starting in May". News8000.com. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.